San Francisco Hotels

    

San Francisco, CA: Luxury Hotel Getaway
From the days of the gold rush to the advent of the Internet boom, San Francisco has earned its reputation as a stylish, high-livin' town.

Whether you prefer to hob-nob on Nob Hill or rub elbows with Internet gurus in the Mission, this posh peninsula offers infinite opportunities to spend a weekend in style.

Take a seat under the Golden Gate Bridge, gazing at the Marin headlands with a sourdough bread-bowl of cioppino and a bottle of wine--and feel like you've just inherited the earth. Or, explore all of San Francisco's exciting spots, from the mansions of Pacific Heights to the taqueria-dotted flatlands of the Mission and experience what it is to be rich in options.

California's famously chic cuisine was born in this foodie city. Try the Fifth Floor's "lobster cappuccino," and be sure to stop at Zuni Cafe for their trademark brick oven-roasted chicken and vast selection of local oysters. Sample the region's artisan breads, wines, and produce at the new Ferry Building Plaza, where the regional fave, Cowgirl Creamery sells its delectable cheeses, and an outstanding farmers' market sets up on Saturdays.

Fillmore Street's tony boutiques offer plenty of ways to break in your credit card, or head to the more fiscally friendly Palace of the Legion of Honor--perched majestically above the ocean. As if the views aren't enough, this museum boasts the original cast of Rodin's The Thinker, and 20 galleries of ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and European art.

Disposable absorbent wound...

Disposable absorbent wound dressings with skin health treatment additives

 

The present invention relates to disposable absorbent wound dressings comprising skin health treatment additives for the treatment and prevention of Stage I-IV partial and full thickness pressure wounds. The disposable dressings conform to the anatomical shape of the body of a human and are capable of absorbing large quantities of wound drainage or exudates. Such disposable dressings are low-adherent and facilitate painless removal without disturbing a healing tissue bed. Such disposable wound dressings of the present invention are especially advantageous for the treatment of Stage I-IV pressure ulcers located in the sacral/coccyx area of the spine.

Visit Carnival

Rio Carnival

Carnival 2008 : 2 - 5 February
Carnival 2009 : 21 - 24 February

Carnival falls on the last 4 days (and nights!) prior to Ash Wednesday. In England, we celebrate it on Shrove Tuesday, quietly at home with pancakes. In Brazil they celebrate it with drums, dancing and singing in the streets in an explosion of colour and costumes. Schools and businesses close as the whole country shuts down for wild celebrations. There are carnival parades in almost every town and city but the biggest by far is in Rio.

Here Carnival has evolved into two distinct creatures:- the street carnival and the "Parade of Schools" in the Sambadrome. The latter is what has come to be known as one of the world’s biggest festivals. The best Samba Schools parade on the last Sunday and Monday of Lent in the Sambadrome – a long, linear purpose-built stadium used but once a year. The parades start around 8.00pm and finish in the small hours; tickets are as hard to come by as Cup Final tickets.

Running parallel to the main event are numerous parties and themed Balls, the best of which is held at the Copacabana Palace. This is the Ball of the season where Rio’s finest can be seen and, if you can afford the ticket - from £200 (entrance only) and from £600 for a place at a table – this is an event to be at.

Tickets to the various areas of the Sambadrome come on sale in November or December and are very hard to come by, however we usually have access to an allocation in at least one of the stands. Prices start from around £295 for a standard seat to about £500 for an area of special chairs which allows more movement and comfort and is level with the parades. Costs are slightly less for tickets to the Champions' Parade on the final Saturday, about £195 for standard and £295 for special chairs.

Accommodation at Carnival is a predictable nightmare. Hotels charge upto 3 times the normal rate for a 4 or 5 night mandatory package. Payment is 50% on confirmation and 50% two months before the event. Hotels begin to publish their rates around August but if you are booking in advance please call us. We have around 30 hotels of varying categories on our lists as well as some Apartment-hotels.

Please note that prices mentioned above are a guideline only as 2008 costs have yet to be confirmed.

Women And Cholesterol Controlled

 

Women And Cholesterol Controlled Women are significantly less likely than men to have their LDL cholesterol controlled to recommended levels, as per a new study by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). The study, would be reported in the May/June edition of Womens Health Issues, investigated gender differences in cardiovascular disease prevention, therapy and risk factors based on national health care quality data from commercial and Medicare managed care plans.

Elevated LDL cholesterol is an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading single cause of death for both women and men.

The study, "Improving the Quality of Care for Cardiovascular Disease: Using National Managed Care Performance Data to Investigate Gender Differences in HEDIS Measures Correlation to Heart Disease," analyzed data from a national sample of 46 commercial managed care plans and 148 Medicare plans across 11 HEDIS measures of care for cardiovascular conditions and diabetes. The results, controlled for other factors such as age, income and ethnicity, showed equal or better outcomes for women on most dimensions of carewith the notable exception of cholesterol control, where significant disparities existed between men and women.

"This study highlights the importance of not just knowing your health, but also taking an active role in your care," said NCQA President Margaret E. OKane. "The data show that weve got our work cut out for us in terms of raising awareness among both physicians and patients".........

In women, caffeine may protect memory

Caffeine may help older women protect their thinking skills, according to a study published in the August 7, 2007, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The study found that women age 65 and older who drank more than three cups of coffee (or the equivalent in tea) per day had less decline over time on tests of memory than women who drank one cup or less of coffee or tea per day. The results held up even after researchers adjusted for other factors that could affect memory abilities, such as age, education, disability, depression, high blood pressure, medications, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic illnesses.

“Caffeine is a psychostimulant which appears to reduce cognitive decline in women,” said study author Karen Ritchie, PhD, of INSERM, the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, in Montpellier, France. “While we have some ideas as to how this works biologically, we need to have a better understanding of how caffeine affects the brain before we can start promoting caffeine intake as a way to reduce cognitive decline. But the results are interesting – caffeine use is already widespread and it has fewer side effects than other treatments for cognitive decline, and it requires a relatively small amount for a beneficial effect.”

The study involved 7,000 people whose cognitive abilities and caffeine consumption were evaluated over four years. Compared to women who drank one cup or less of coffee per day, those who drank over three cups were less likely to show as much decline in memory. Moreover, the benefits increased with age – coffee drinkers being 30 percent less likely to have memory decline at age 65 and rising to 70 percent less likely over age 80.

Caffeine consumers did not seem to have lower rates of dementia. “We really need a longer study to look at whether caffeine prevents dementia; it might be that caffeine could slow the dementia process rather than preventing it,” said Ritchie.

Ritchie said researchers aren’t sure why caffeine didn’t show the same result in men. “Women may be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine,” she said. “Their bodies may react differently to the stimulant, or they may metabolize caffeine differently.”

Source: American Academy of Neurology